Empoli
managed to neutralize the goal of Argentine
Lucas Beltrán
and stopped
Fiorentina
(1-1) who, in addition to adding their second consecutive game without winning, will sleep outside of the European positions for which they have been fighting so much this season.
The fight to enter Europe is very open in Italy and Fiore still has options, but the draw against an Empoli that is fighting not to be relegated takes them away from the objective, especially from the victories of
Bologna
and
Atalanta
, but especially after the punctures of
Napoli
and
Lazio
, from which he could have distanced himself.
But this Empoli of newcomer
Davide Nicola
is revolutionizing the Serie A table.
They have added their fifth consecutive game without losing and are now two points above relegation
.
Quite an achievement taking into account the start of the season and having tied a Fiorentina that fights for much greater objectives and that took the lead.
Beltrán, now definitively established as the attacking man of Vincenzo Italiano's team, along with Andrea Belloti
, made a space for himself in the area and with a half-turned shot put the complicated match on track in the Empoli fiefdom.
It is the sixth cry for the former River in Serie A and the eighth in his debut season on the Old Continent.
GOAL BY LUCAS BELTRAN AT FIORENTINA!
The former River made it 1-0 against Empoli.
📺 Watch #SerieA on #StarPlusLA pic.twitter.com/5VNbjxHbnG
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) February 18, 2024
Fiorentina was better.
Another Argentine, Lucas Martínez-Quarta, hit the crossbar with a header that could have ended the match.
Nicolás González, completely recovered from the last injury, played the 90 minutes, while Gino Infantino did not leave the bench.
However, a penalty at the start of the second half after a great counterattack by Empoli changed the game.
M'Baye Niang did not miss from the eleven meters and the fight began again.
The 'Fiore' began to be in a hurry, to rush, to want to score at all costs;
and Empoli knew how to handle the duel better with his weapons.
The scoreboard favored the locals, who successfully held off a superior team.
Empoli dreams of salvation, a goal that is now more real than ever;
Meanwhile, the 'Viola' lost a golden opportunity to ascend to the European positions, although they are still fully in the fight.
Source: EFE